Refraction
by fenniefox
Summary: After barely escaping with her life from her abusive father, a girl named Hina accidentally discovers the one known as Seiryuu within a mysterious village hidden in the mountains. Together Hina and the Seiryuu build a relationship learning to heal and trust each other. Like sunlight and moonlight they find a way to shine despite the darkness they carry in their hearts. [Shin-Ah/OC]
1. Chapter 1

Hey there! This is more like a prologue than a first chapter since it's in past tense but I hope you still enjoy!

* * *

Back before I was even conceived, there used to be a village settlement not far from the village I was born in. It was known as the village of the Seiryuu. When I was small, my mother traveled with me to that village and asked for permission to live there. However, unlike the village my mother came from, outsiders were not welcome in the village of the Seiryuu. Despite this, my mother somehow convinced the elders of the village to let us stay, but only under certain conditions. My mother worked for the village to pay for food and rent. However, we were treated as outsiders by the villagers in every other sense. We were not allowed to form bonds with anyone in that village. We were only allowed to live there as long as my mother worked. As a young child I did not understand this. Desperate to make friends I tried talking to the other children regardless of the rules but they always ignored me or ran away. My mother often apologized to me about our situation. She told me that it was the only way I could stay safe. I still didn't understand and craved friendship more than ever in the times I was left alone.

One day I decided to explore around the village since my mother was busy. As I was walking along the path I saw a few kids nearby playing with tops. Excitement bubbled in my chest as I heard their laughter. "Maybe today will be different" I thought to myself, "maybe if I ask nice they'll let me play with them today." Just as I was about to get their attention, one of the tops spun away from the group. As one kid turned to retrieve the toy, he froze in his tracks and a few of the children gasped. In front of them was a boy wearing a mask that looked to be about my age. The masked boy picked up the top that had spun away from the children in his hands gently. He then spoke in a soft timid voice.

"Um... Sorry... Um..." he looked down shyly before continuing, "Can... I... Watch?"

He had just barely gotten his last syllable out before the group of children had already started running away in fear. The masked boy and I were the only ones left standing. I hadn't moved because I was utterly confused by the other children's terror. Were they running away from the boy with the mask? Why? The boy then sighed in defeat as he looked down at the toy he still held in his hands. Maybe he hadn't noticed me yet?

Realizing my voice was still caught in my throat, I tried to say something but a man with long blue hair appeared behind the boy.

"Seiryuu!" the man shouted.

Both I and the boy jumped at the man's voice which caused the boy to drop the toy he still had in his hands.

"Ao..." The boy replied softly.

"Come here!" The man commanded seemingly agitated as he grabbed the masked boy's arm and began to pull him away.

As they walked back through the crowd of villagers, the one known as Ao pulled the boy along behind him. I instantly took notice of how the other villagers reacted to the pair walking down the path beside them. I heard gasps and whispers from the villagers as they passed. While following the pair, I overheard some of the villagers whispering that the boy was cursed and wondering why he was outside. I didn't understand. All I knew was that the villagers seemed to treat him like an outcast just like me. So even though part of myself told me it might be a bad idea to follow, the other part of my self desperately desired someone I could call a friend. That desire pushed me forward despite whatever curse the villagers spoke of.

The man with long blue hair led the boy to a stone house on the outskirts of town and roughly pulled the boy through the doorway. Once they were inside I ran up to the house as quickly and silently as I could and listened through the wall.

"I told you not to go out so much! Why won't you listen?!" The man asked the boy angrily.

"Sorry, Ao... But..." the boy replied desperately in a soft voice "...I want... Friend."

"And..." The man started slowly with an edge to his voice.

Suddenly a hard splash hit my ears and I heard the boy's small gasp of surprise as the man loudly finished where he left off "...are you close to making one?! Huh?! It'll never happen! Now that you know, stay inside!"

The boy fell backwards unsteadily and gave a small exhale of uncertainty when he hit the ground.

"Oi, you outside, I know you're there! Why don't you mind your own business?!"

This time I knew he was talking directly at me. In both surprise and embarrassment my face went red and I tripped over myself at being caught.

"S-Sorry!" I managed to squeak out before I ran.

I didn't stop running until I was all the way home. Later that same day, I was looking out the window of my house at the sunset when I realized I would never know how that conversation ended between them. I wonder why I wanted to know. The only thing I could keep thinking about was the way the boy said the word "friend." Despite what people said about a curse, at the time I could only think about how nice it would be for that boy to call me his friend in the same way.

It had probably been months since the last time I saw the boy with the mask. Every time I went to visit his house no one ever seemed to be home. I was too timid after being caught the last time to check to see if it was truly empty inside as well. My mother also seemed to grow suspicious of me.

"Hina, honey, where are you going this early in the morning?"

"Um… ah… I just wanted to go exploring."

"Mm... okay. But Hina please be careful when you go out today."

"Why?"

"I overheard some people saying the previous Seiryuu died last night."

This stopped me in my tracks. The moment I heard the name my eyes widened. I bolted for the door and just barely told my mother "I'm off!" before the door shut behind me.

Even though it was morning, it was chilly and the sky was gray. The humidity in the air told me it would rain. Villagers ignored me as I ran straight for the edge of the village. If anything, there was an ominous feel in the air. When I finally got to where the Seiryuu lived, I bent over trying to catch my breath. I could see the puffs of air leaving my mouth as I exhaled. When I finally caught my breath, I tiptoed over to the house. I'm not sure why I was so nervous. When I reached the wall of the house, at first I heard nothing. Then to my surprise I heard the prettiest sound of bells tinkling. Did they always have bells before? Before I could wonder for too long, I heard the agonizing sound of a lonely sniffle that came after. The boy was at home this time… and… he was crying… all alone. I could feel my heart ache in my chest. Before I knew what I was doing I peeked through the curtain covering the doorway.

"Little Seiryuu?"

The boy jumped at the sound of being called and quickly tried to wipe his face with his sleeve. With a hiccup he responded "W-Who... are you? Why… are you here?"

"It's okay I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. My name is Hina."

The boy seemed to relax a little at that and sniffled again barely able to hold back his tears.

"Ao is… Ao is…" he couldn't finish his statement but I already knew what he was going to say.

"I heard about what happened to Ao…" I began slowly moving closer to boy as if he was a wounded animal. "It's okay to cry…" Soon I was right next to him.

"W-wait!" he gasped in surprise "I'm cursed… aren't you... afraid?"

"No." I replied without hesitation.

He stared at me as if not sure how to respond before hugging his legs back to his chest. It wasn't too long until I could hear him silently crying next to me again. At first I wasn't sure what to do and then it hit me.

"Little Seiryuu?"

"Mm…?"

"When I'm sad my mama always lets me rest my head in her lap while she pets my head. Then she tells me 'it's alright' until I stop crying. It always makes me feel a lot better. Do you want to try?"

The boy hesitated at the suggestion.

"It's alright." I promised while patting my lap gently "You'll feel a lot better."

He finally seemed to give in at the request. Carefully, he placed his head into my lap causing the bells to tinkle. At first he seemed shy. I placed my hand on his head and noticed he had beautiful blue hair. It was as soft as it looked. Then soothingly like my mother would always do, I pet the boy's head in small strokes. At first he seemed surprised at how soft it felt, but as I continued, his sniffles turned into silent sobs.

Copying the gentle voice of my mother I told him over and over, "It's alright… It's alright…"

When I did so he seemed to hold on tighter to a fistful of my skirt. It was almost as if he had been starved of affection. The beginning of rain started to hit the roof of the house and slowly turned into a soothing melody. I'm not sure when it happened but eventually we both fell asleep like that together.

Almost the whole day had gone by when I was woken up again. The boy that was once in my lap pulled back the drape covering his window and was looking outside. I rubbed my eyes sleepily.

"Mmm… what is it little Seiryuu?" I yawned.

"Someone's coming… a bunch of them… troops…"

"What?!"

I instantly stood up and looked from his window at the horizon. Despite my best efforts though, I didn't see anything like that. All of the sudden the boy next to me gasped and backed away from the window.

"What is it?" I asked sincerely.

"A man… escaped last night. He went to get troops. What should I do? My sword skills aren't good enough to fight them all off. And I have my mask on, so they can easily tell it's me. What would happen if the secret of the village got out?"

"We need to tell the others. There's no way you can fight troops all by yourself…"

"No… Because of this power, the villagers are afraid, and it puts the village in danger. It's a curse! It's a curse, but…"

He turned to leave the house but I just barely grabbed his arm before he could leave.

"Wait! You can't fight them alone, curse or no curse!"

He pulled his arm away from mine and frowned behind his mask.

"I'm sorry Hina… but… Ao has been protecting this village!"

Before I could try and stop him again, the boy was already out the door running off in the rain towards the troops.

"Seiryuu! Seiryuu wait!" I cried, but he continued onward.

In a panic I did the only thing I thought I could. I ran back to the village to get help fearing the worst for the first friend I ever made.

When I came back with everyone from the village, no one could believe their eyes. Thunder boomed in the background. Corpses upon corpses of soldiers covered the terrain. At the center of it all stood the boy holding his mask in his hand. While everyone stood there in awe, I began to cry.

"Seiryuu! Seiryuu!" I screamed.

"Hina stop it! He's dangerous!" My mother yelled while trying to hold me back.

I managed to pull my arm out of her grip and ran towards him with tears in my eyes. Jumping over the corpses beneath me I ran forward and at one point I slipped into the mud. Gritting my teeth I got back up and kept running. Just as I was about to reach him, the Seiryuu's golden eyes locked with mine for what seemed like forever as lightning flashed in the sky. Everything around me seemed to slow down. For a moment all I could think was how beautiful his eyes were and how much softer they seemed than I had imagined them in my head. That was until reality sickeningly reminded me of its presence when I watched him fall forward towards the ground. My hand was outstretched to catch him but just before I could reach, one of the villagers pulled me back and I heard the awful sound of his body hitting the ground.

There was screaming all around me. I can only remember bits and pieces. People saying I was crazy and that I could have been turned to stone if I looked him in the eyes. I was given back to my mother who was crying and hugging me but I was numb to it all. It felt like I was plunged underwater. I knew there were sounds going on past the surface, but the water dulled it and made sounds mix together and become jumbled. I wish I had known at the time that this setting would be the last I would ever see of that village and the last I would ever see of the boy again.

* * *

After what occurred at the Seiryuu village my mother and I were instantly banished from being part of the village completely. We were forced to leave and if they caught us following the clan, they promised to kill us. We were left with nothing but the clothes on our backs, some food, and some money. With nowhere else to go we were forced to travel back to my mother's old village. At the time I didn't think it was going to be so bad. I didn't know why my mother was always so afraid to go back. However, I quickly figured out why once we got there.

Until that time I had never asked or been told about my father. I never knew I had a father until we reached mom's old village. Due to our circumstances and my mother being joblessness, she was forced to go back and beg to the man that she left to take us back in. He did, but not before slapping my mother so hard in the face that she fell to the ground crying. That was all the wakeup call I needed. It was then that I understood why my mother took me away as a baby to the nearest village. It was then I understood why she never mentioned my father before. This was just the start of worse things to come. But that was 13 years ago.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up hungry again today. Snow is falling outside and my fingers are numb. I slowly sat up getting used to movement again and rubbed my hands together. "Looks like it's going to be another cold one, huh mom?" Wrapping my favorite sky blue shawl around me, the one my mother made, I push the sliding door aside. As I step outside, a few icicles break off the edge of the trim as I bring my hands together to blow warm air into them. Using both of my warmer hands now I gathered a portion of my long hair and pulled it forward across one of my shoulders. I observe the long brighten golden strands in my hands. It's an extremely rare color where I come from. My mother told me once that she gave me my name because the color of my hair reminded her of the color of sunshine. It was a bit silly considering that my mother's hair looked exactly the same as mine. Although today is the day I'm selling it. At this point I'm so hungry that sentimentality has taken a backseat. My father was the one that asked me to get it cut for the money. I didn't disagree… But knowing my father I can only hope I get a meal out of it once I hand the money over to him. Trudging through the snow feeling the rags underneath my shawl doesn't seem to bother me as much this morning. The thought of possibly getting a meal today gives me some much needed motivation.

Taking a breath of the crisp air I finally stop in front of a gravestone. It's my mother's grave. She died a few years ago from stress and illness, and honestly I can't really fault her for it. I miss her a lot but… She's probably in a much better place anyways. Living with father is a horrible existence to lead. But my only other option is to starve so it's the only existence I have. I've thought about running away but it's complicated. There's no guarantee of survival, especially with the nearest village closest to us suddenly disappearing off the map years ago. And also… I fear the consequences for trying to leave. If I messed up and got caught… I… I don't know what father would do to me. I begin brushing the snow off of mother's grave with my hands. When the slate is clean I pray for a bit. Mostly I pray to her for food now. That's the only realistic thing I can request. Praying never stopped father's punishments. I learned that a long time ago.

Afterwards I went straight to the barber. After sitting in the chair my mind began to wander. I watch as my golden locks fall to the ground. With each snip my head feels lighter. While in the middle of cutting my hair the barber's hand brushes over a bruise at the back of neck and I flinch and bite down on my lip. Once lost in thought I'm suddenly snapped back to reality with alarming clarity. "Please don't say anything… please don't say anything…" After a pause they seem to ignore it and continue cutting my hair. They probably know who my father is. I can't tell if I'm relieved or distraught over them obviously ignoring the bruise they saw. When it's finished the back of my hair is short while longer strands still frame the front of my face with bangs still long enough to cover one of my eyes. The barber collects my hair and pays me. The thought of a chance to eat food with this money sounds so great right now. I head on my way home since father is expecting me to come back with the funds. Hopefully he'll be pleased with the amount and will spare some for me.

I try to hurry back. Walking around with this amount of money is dangerous where I live. I'm halfway home when suddenly my senses pick up that I'm being watched. I slowly look behind me and realize I'm being followed. They know I saw them so I can't pretend like I didn't notice. I'm about to run when one of men behind me throws a rock at my head and the other jumps me. I scream but when you scream in a village full of starving people, it's basically treated as background noise here. I'm not sure what I expected. Maybe I just didn't want to feel useless as they ripped the pouch of coins from my waist. When they finally get what they want I sit there in the snow. Disheveled and numb. I stare at the ground. They stole the money I just got from my hair. They stole my warm meal and safety with that money. Suddenly I'm petrified with fear. My father is expecting me to come back home with that money. Before I can stop it my eyes burn with tears. I might as well cry now so I don't cry in front of my father later.

It was much later when my tears stopped and I walked around the town, procrastinating going back to my home. The sun was starting to set and I knew it was getting too cold. I pet the soft muzzle of one of the horses tied up at the stables. The horse I've named Momo whinnies and nuzzles my face gently. "Thanks Momo…" I tell her. Some might laugh at the fact that this horse has been one of my only sources of comfort for years. I don't care. Nevertheless I can't get too attached knowing I need to face my punishment, I turn and run back home. Everything in me doesn't want to but I know that if I don't go back now father might beat me harder.

When I reach my house I notice the lights are off. I pray my father isn't home. When I open the door the wood just barely creaks and I freeze in my spot. I instantly smell the alcohol coming from the room and cringe when I hear his voice.

"Oh Hina you're bahk now!"

His words are slurred and the place reeks. I slowly step inside before he continues.

"Was yer hair always like that?"

"No papa, I got it cut today" I quickly reply and hope to head to my room as fast as possible.

"Wait."

"Yes papa?"

"Where's the money I asked you to get for it?"

My breath hitches. I can hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.

"Um… well… you see I… I got mugged on the way home and-"

"You lost it?"

"N-No it was stolen-"

"You LOST the money!?"

He started getting up and walked towards me with a sway but his demeanor was deadly serious.

"No wait please let me explain…" I pleaded while backing up into the wall behind me realizing I couldn't retreat any farther.

"You BITCH!"

Sharp pain shot through my face with his fist met my face. I almost thought I felt my jaw unlock from the force but at this point my body only responded to instinct. Adrenaline pumped through my system as I quickly ducked and scurried away towards the other side of the room. Loud crashes sounded behind me as he knocked things off the table and screamed,

"This is why we are starving! This is why we're fucking poor! Because of YOU! It's all your damn fault your mother is dead too! Your existence is a curse! A fucking CURSE!"

He threw more things were at me that I couldn't even distinguish in my state of fear. Some objects made contact with my body while others broke against the wall behind me. In an attempt to escape I crawled for the kitchen hoping to reach the back door. As I attempt to stand he catches my foot and pulls me back just enough to grab a fist full of my hair. The pain made me reflexively reach up in an attempt to free my hair of his grasp while the full weight of my body was aggressively dragged across the floor. In one swift motion, he threw me to the ground releasing his grip from my hair harshly. Taking advantage of the temporary release, I swiftly pushed myself up from the floor. That's when I notice the knife in his hand. I'm momentarily frozen in fear as I realize how quickly the situation is escalating. It dawns on me that this is where my life in his house was headed all along; he's actually going to kill me if I don't do something quick. Thinking on my feet I try to reason with him hoping it will buy me enough time to look for a way out.

"Papa please, I can earn the money back-"

"This isn't about the fucking money!"

His tone made me flinch.

"No… Not anymore." His voice edged in a deadly serious and unhinged way. "My life was cursed the moment you came into it. The moment you were born you were nothing but a monster. My wife left me because of YOU! Left without a fucking word! Left this place to ROT! The she comes crawling back to me with you begging for forgiveness after realizing she always needed me in the end. But it wasn't enough that I let you bitches come back after her betrayal, no... she pays back my generosity by going off and dying, but this time leaving me to take care of the baggage she left behind! An ungrateful brat that's just another unnecessary mouth to feed. So you know what… I'm going finally put an end to the curse you've brought upon this family and anyone else you've ever met. You've always been better off DEAD!"

He lunged towards me with the knife aiming at my stomach. The negative energy coming from his intent to kill choked the atmosphere. I stood there feeling the pure adrenaline of death approaching. Then I suddenly stepped back attempting to dodge his stab while ripping the front door open behind me. I stumbled backwards out into the snow hearing the door slamming into wall. The knife stung as it grazed my side just under my shawl. I barely avoided his full attack. My movement was so fast and unexpected that his momentum caused him to fall past me plunging into the snow with a shock. I wasted no time in taking this opportunity to run. I leaped over his fallen body and took off towards the woods. I didn't hear or feel anything else. I only felt the rush of sprinting for my life.

Eventually when I was far enough into the woods I stopped and tried to catch my breath. I had run so far that I finally figured it wouldn't be worth trying to catch me at that point. Being this far away from the village as night approached was dangerous for anyone. The village was the only place around that could offer any protection from the cold of night for miles. Perhaps father thought he wouldn't need to come after me when the chill of night was sure to kill me instead. Either way I was too exhausted to go on. I collapsed into the snow. My body faced the ground while one of my hands covered the bleeding wound on my side. My thoughts start getting foggy as my body slowly goes numb. I'm suddenly reminded of the masked boy from that village long ago. Is this what he felt like back then when he collapsed onto the ground that stormy night? My muscles start to lose feeling and I realize I can't move my arms anymore. It's like I'm paralyzed in the snow. Paralyzed… is that how the boy felt? I don't receive an answer as my mind fades into blackness.

* * *

When I wake up the next morning I realize a few things at once: I'm not dead, my body hurts like hell, and I'm surprisingly warm in the middle of winter. When my mind starts coming back to me I realize that the warmth I'm feeling is also breathing.

"Momo!?"

The horse next to me huffs in response to my surprised tone. The large body next to me then slowly lifts itself up. She shakes the snow off her coat nonchalantly, as if there was nothing to be surprised about.

"How did you even get here?! You were in the stables when I last saw you! And why am I asking a horse these questions?!... Oh god I really am dead aren't I? Or I'm going crazy? Maybe I'm both dead and crazy..."

Ignoring my rambling Momo nuzzled me in the usual way she greeted me. For the first time in such a long time I find myself laughing with tears in my eyes. I'd been saved by a horse of all things.

"Thank you my friend." I told her while wiping at my eyes.

Bringing her head close I hugged her muzzle in my arms gently while hearing her make chuffs of endearment in return.

"Your owner is not going to be happy when he discovers you're gone this morning. I only wish I had something nice to give you in return for saving me. I promise I'll make it up to you."

Momo huffed with a nod of acknowledgement.

Knowing I couldn't stay where I was and couldn't go back where I came from I decided to take a step forward and find somewhere else I could stay. I knew it might be a long way before I even get a glimpse of the nearest village but I had nothing left to lose as it was. Deciding not to waste anymore daylight, I moved to take the first step forward but pain instantly shot up my leg and I quickly grabbed Momo's mane for support. The horse turned to look at me concerned. I sighed.

"I know you've already done so much for me Momo but I think I may need your help again… I need you to carry me somewhere we can stay for a bit while I recover."

The horse tapped her foot in response and offered her bare back to me. I stared up at her for a moment. Momo is a draft horse, which meant that she was built stronger and taller than your average horse in order to pull heavier loads. The hardest part was going to be just getting on the horse. Gritting my teeth I grabbed her mane and swung myself onto her back the best I could. I probably looked extremely awkward to anyone if they were watching now. My injuries made it difficult to mount such a tall horse gracefully. When I finally sat on her back comfortably she began to trot forward through the snow. I lay down against her back wrapping my arms around her strong neck. Her back felt so warm it almost lulled me back to sleep again. I trusted that her animal instincts would take me to the nearest food and water at least. She wasn't trotting back in the direction of the village we had come from, so maybe she could sense that I didn't want to return.

* * *

I startled awake a while later to the sound of Momo neighing and tapping her hoof against the ground. I hadn't realized I'd fallen asleep but I wasn't all that surprised. I've been in pretty rough shape and the wound on my side still hadn't been properly treated. I had enough street smarts to know that if I waited too long within the first few days to treat the wound, then it was more likely to become infected. When I noticed my surroundings I was shocked by the sight in front of me. I was expecting Momo to bring me to food and water, maybe a cave or some shelter. What I wasn't expecting was for her to find what looked like a large temple carved within the center of the mountain with loads of smaller tunnels scattered across the rest of the feature. It was obviously man-made but it almost seemed deserted from the outside. I patted the side of Momo's neck pleased with the discovery.

"If people live here, maybe they'll have food?"

Momo huffed in annoyance and I realized my mistake.

"Oh and of course oats for you I'm sure!"

She seemed to like that answer better.

I slowly and carefully made my way back to the ground sliding off of Momo's back. I winced as my hurt leg made contact with the ground. If there were people living in this place I didn't want to give off the desperate beggar impression. I might have better chances of being let in if I don't seem like I have nothing to offer. First I fixed my clothes which were practically rags and patched holes at this point. There was a new hole and a fresh stain of blood where I received my wound. It wasn't that large but without my shawl it would be extremely noticeable. My knitted sky blue shawl was the only thing I owned that wasn't torn or frayed. I worked hard to keep it that way since it was the only thing I had left from my mother. I carefully draped my shawl back over my clothing but this time making sure to have it cover most of my worn clothes underneath and especially the blood stain on my side. It also served to cover many of the bruises I had received from my father. All that was left was my face. Luckily I had the barber that cut my hair keep my bangs long on purpose. The side of my face where my father punched me still felt raw and swollen. My bangs naturally cover half my face as it is but I carefully made sure the bruise was fully covered before entering the mountain. The last thing I wanted to deal with was strangers asking questions I didn't feel like answering. After fixing my facade I clicked my tongue for Momo to follow me and she trotted behind surprisingly obedient. She must have been trained to understand some commands. I began walking towards the temple at the center of the mountain which seemed to be the hub of the entire place.

When I poked my head in and walked towards the center of the cavern area, torches lit up the tunnel. This meant that the area was indeed inhabited. I stepped forward trying to hide my limp the best I could.

"Hello?" my voice echoed throughout the area.

The place felt weirdly ominous. Then from behind the curtains villagers wearing masks appeared and started to surround us. Momo began to nervously trot in place. She felt uncomfortable by the masks as well. Then from behind the rest the villagers, a few unmasked elders made their way to the front. The one elder who seemed to be the leader of this clan asked

"Who are you?"

Children in masks peered at me hiding behind the cloth draped over their doors. For some reason this place feels familiar. When the elders finally stand in front of me I explain,

"I'm just a traveler passing through. I've been looking for a place to stay for the night as well as a place for my horse to rest. Winter has been rough to get through."

The elder man nodded before responding to me.

"As you can see, this is an impoverished settlement, so we cannot offer much."

My hopes sunk a bit when food was not offered but I couldn't be too upset.

"That's alright; a place to rest would be fine."

"Your horse will be taken to the stable at the base of mountain. Your room is right this way."

I pet Momo's muzzle one last time to reassure her that these people could take her. I didn't really want to be separated from her either but I had to go along with it in order to achieve my secret plan.

I followed the man down a tunnel leading to where I was supposed to stay. While on our way I decided to ask why only some of the villagers were wearing masks.

"It is our tradition." The man explained. "Those who are single shouldn't show their faces."

"Huh…"

"It may be surprising to outside guests."

At the end of the tunnel we reached a room.

"Please rest here." The man gestured towards the room with his hand.

I nodded and started walking past him to the room when the elder spoke up once more.

"Oh and also… This place is complicated, like a maze. Please do not wander around. We will not be responsible if anything happens."

I stepped into the room and the drape covering the doorway fell back over to cover the entrance behind me. That last thing he warned me about bothered me. What did he mean by "if anything happens"? Something about the way he warned me against wandering around seemed suspicious. Why did he feel the need to warn me about something happening if this clan truly had nothing to hide? Sure, if I wandered I might get lost, but these people know these caverns. If they found me lost in the tunnels couldn't they easily just lead me back safely? Something was off about this place. It almost seemed like they're trying to keep something from me. I decided that I should tread on the side of caution with these people. Who knows what secret they're trying to keep. Either way, finding that secret didn't matter to me as much as finding something else. Searching for food was the main reason why I was here so I would stick to my original plan. These people might be dangerous based on how cold they are acting, but satisfying some of my hunger is worth that risk. If I play my cards right, I might be able to find some leftover food stashed somewhere around here and eat it without anyone noticing. I do admit that part of me feels bad about planning to steal from impoverished people, but I grew up in a village where literally everyone in it struggled to survive. Desperation in situations like this wasn't new to me. I learned growing up that survival sometimes meant I had to take advantage of others, even if I didn't want to. Especially when the alternative was death. Nevertheless that doesn't mean I didn't have a limit on how far I would go to survive. No matter how desperate I was, I never hurt anyone. I may have hindered some people a lot, but I never hurt anyone for my own self benefit. After all, stealing a bit of food wouldn't put the entire village out of commission. I just desperately needed something to eat at this point.

After checking to make sure I wasn't being watched, I explored the nearest tunnel searching for food that may have been stored within any pots or crates I came across. I wasn't having any luck. Eventually I reached a dead end.

"Darn" I scuffed my foot against the ground when all of the sudden my instincts warned me I was being watched.

I looked around and I didn't see a soul. The hair on the back of my neck raised and I felt a shiver run through me. Usually my instincts were mostly accurate, but not this time.

"Calm down Hina." I told myself. "You're just on edge because of what happened with father, that's all…"

All of the sudden I heard what sounded like an animal's howl echo through the cavern. By the sound of it, it wasn't a large animal. It sounded small. If there's an animal living down here then maybe it knows where a stash of food is kept. I carefully placed my ear against the wall where I heard the cry come from when the jolt of the wall made me flinch. A secret door opened and I fell forward since I was leaning on the wall so heavily. I barely contained the yelp that was on the verge of coming out in my surprise. The secret door led to another hallway. That's when I saw a small creature appear from the shadows. At first I thought it might be a rat but the bushy tail told me it was actually a squirrel. It squeaked at me in acknowledgment. I gawked at it for a moment until it darted off down the hallway.

"Hey wait for me!" I called after it.

It wasn't about to get away now. I was determined to follow hoping it might lead me to some food.

Eventually the squirrel stopped next to a pot. That must be it! I leaned down and was fairly shocked that the squirrel didn't mind me picking it up. I gave it a small pet on the head and while twitching its nose it nuzzled my finger back before hopping onto my shoulder. I was momentarily distracted before remembering what I was supposed to be doing. There would be time to bask in the cuteness later. I reached down into the pot the squirrel had sat by. Groping around I searched for anything reminiscent of food I could eat. My head was practically in the jar searching until,

"You dirty little thief!" A man's harsh voice made me lurch away from what I was doing with a gasp.

The squirrel instantly jumped off my shoulder as the man aggressively grabbed my wrist pulling me away from the pot uncomfortably. Like a jolt the action itself reminded me of the last fight I had with father and all the panic that came with it. He began to drag me down the hall by the wrist despite my struggling. He was leading me away from the exit and deeper into the tunnels. I got the feeling I wasn't just going to be punished for stealing.

"Stop! Let go! Where are you taking me?! This is not the way out! Let me go!" I yelled in desperation. "Someone... anyone… please!"

In the midst of the chaos, I clearly heard the tinkling of bells approach me. Before I knew it, I realized that the man tugging on my wrist had stopped cold. He was staring at a stranger that stood next to me. One of the stranger's hands was on my shoulder while their other hand laid on top where the man held my wrist in his grip. The man suddenly stumbled back letting go of my wrist in shock. Without another word he ran away from the two of us in fear. Suddenly it was just me and this stranger alone in the darkness together. I looked over at the person standing next to me but I couldn't clearly see their face. The bells chimed again and I realized that the figure had turned to look down at me. From the height, build, and roughness of the strangers hands in mine I had a hunch he was a man but that was as far as I could guess in the darkness. Maybe I should have been afraid after seeing how that other man reacted to this stranger's presence next to me. But all I could think about was how warm this stranger's hand felt in mine. How gentle his touch was. For some reason I didn't feel afraid of him at all. As all the panic in my chest finally started to settle down, the weight of everything I've had to go through started to catch up to me. I started feeling dizzy and grabbed at the stranger's shirt. I heard a small gasp come from him before he quickly supported my body against him. I could sense he was looking at me unsure of what was happening.

"Sorry… I think… I…" was all I could manage to get out before the world started spinning.

Before I knew it, I lost consciousness against him.


	3. Chapter 3

I woke up to the smell of food and a feeling of warmth surrounding me. A candle was lit next to me. As I sat up I realized that the major wound on my side had been bandaged. Not just that, but as I looked across my arms I noticed that my other smaller wounds and bruises had also been attended to. The large white pelt covering me fell from my shoulders to my hips. Not a moment later, the squirrel I saw from earlier hopped into my lap atop the white fur covering me. Looking up at me the creature squeaked a greeting. A smile spread across my face.

"Hey there you." I brought the creature up to eye level and rubbed my face against the squirrel affectionately.

As soon as I put the small thing back down it squeaked at me once again before bounding off to the other side of the small cave's space. I realized that when the squirrel reached the other side it climbed up the shoulder of a figure I hadn't noticed there. I squinted for a moment before my vision fully adjusted itself. In the darkest part of the room away from me was a man sitting against the wall. He wore a thick robe, but the most catching feature to me was the mask he wore.

"Hello." I decided to say.

He looked up at me a bit startled at my voice which caused the bells on the side of his mask to jingle. Then he nodded at me as a way of acknowledging my presence. The squirrel on his shoulder rubbed up against his cheek and in response he reached over handing the squirrel a small seed to snack on.

"What's the little one's name?" I asked.

There was a long pause. He looked almost confused at the question or perhaps unsure of how to properly respond in this kind of situation.

"Ao." He finally said. His voice sounded weak almost like he hadn't used it in a long time.

"Ao…" I mimicked in thought.

Why did this feel so familiar? I thought to myself.

"Is Ao a boy or a girl? It's hard to tell in the darkness."

"Girl."

"She's very cute. By the way um… I'm sorry for passing out on you earlier."

He started shaking his head and brought his hands up as if to say it wasn't a big deal and not to worry about it.

"Either way I'm thankful. My name is Hina. What's yours?"

There was another long pause. It was like he was in disbelief before he remembered I was waiting on a response.

"Sei...ryuu…"

Suddenly everything was starting to make sense. The masks, the uncomfortable feeling of the people here, why there was a village in the mountains, and this feeling of deja vu when I look at him.

"Seiryuu… Little… Little Seiryuu?! Is… is it really you?! I guess I can't call you little anymore though… Wait! Do you remember me?"

He stood up and walked over before sitting in front of where I was sleeping. Shyly he nodded at my questions.

"Oh" he said out loud.

He looked around himself causing the bells to jingle before he found was he was looking for. Then he placed a bowl in front of me. Inside the bowl were dandelions and clovers boiled with pieces of fish still steaming.

"For… you."

He didn't have to tell me twice. The entire makeshift stew was gone in less than a moment. It burned a bit as I swallowed but I didn't even care. Food was food. I would have liked more but then it dawned on me that he probably wasn't expecting a visitor. No… more than that. His voice sounded so weak from disuse that I wondered how long it had been since he spoke to anyone at all. Memories from long ago reminded me of things I had forgotten. We were both outcasts. Though perhaps it was even worse for him. He wasn't just an outcast to these people; he was treated like he wasn't even human. I clenched the shawl still wrapped around my body. He noticed and tilted his head at me with concern at my sudden change in demeanor.

"Was it… bad?"

"What? No-no it's just…" I realized tears had started forming in my eyes. I didn't finish my statement.

He reached his hand out towards me slowly and I stayed still. He hesitated just as he was about to reach my head almost as if he was unsure of himself. Then he finally placed his hand on top of my hair gently.

"It's alright… It's alright…" he said as if copying what it should sound like while being inexperienced in saying it himself.

Regardless, the very gesture in its own way was moving. That was exactly what I had told him years ago to comfort him. He really was the masked boy from my past. The first, and only person since, to ever become my friend. He's here in front of me now. I wonder if he also feels the same way I do seeing me now after all these years.

"Now that I think about it, I don't think I ever found out what your actual name was. Seiryuu isn't your real name right?"

He stared at me a moment.

"I have no... name. Just… Seiryuu."

"Oh… Well then is there any name you would like to be called by?"

He shrugged in response.

"Hmm… Don't worry I'll think of something I just need some time. Would you like that?"

He paused but then nodded shyly. I smiled. It was a step forward at least. As I looked around the room I realized how barren it was if not for the candle and empty bowl. Why was he living in a place like this? My memories of the past had become foggier as time went on. I didn't have a lot of time to think about things like this since I was so worried about just getting through the day. I wasn't seeing much but I could already tell that this boy was being horribly neglected. I guess I would know though considering I was in a pretty miserable situation myself not too long ago. This reminds me,

"Seiryuu… Um…" I played with my fingers anxiously "You saw what happened before. I… I accidentally got caught stealing. I was only searching for food though I swear. But I… Um… I don't think I can go back out there now. Not after almost being abducted. I'm scared."

After a moment he responded,

"It is not... safe to leave here yet. But they won't come get you… As long as I am here. I will protect you."

That calmed my fears a bit. For now at least I was safe here with him. It was almost alarming how calm and comforted he made me feel. Just to be around him.

"Hina…" He asked in a voice so small I barely picked it up "I missed you…"

I felt my heart get squeezed in my chest by his honesty. He almost sounded like he was about to cry. I couldn't help myself. I softly took his hand in mine and held it. It was so gentle, so warm, just like the first time he held my hand. His shoulders released the tension they were holding at my touch. And then for the first time in a long time, I felt myself drift back off to sleep without even having to try.

* * *

A while later I woke to an unusual sound near me. The candle next to me had gone out so even as I opened my eyes it was almost as if my eyes were still closed. I was still covered in the soft pelt the Seiryuu had given me. In the pitch black my other senses started to become more alert to my surroundings due to the lack of sight. That's when I noticed the tiniest sound. It wasn't a full jingle but more of a half-jingle that I assumed came from the bells on his mask. With it I also heard the sound of a shudder. Was he awake? I listened. The same sound occurred again. I slowly realized that he was shivering in his sleep. He's… cold… and yet he still gave his pelt to me? I felt guilt wash over me. He had done this much to care for an outsider like me and I couldn't let him stay like that. Taking the pelt with me, I crawled over to the sound of his shivering. I couldn't see but my sense of touch and hearing was able to guide me close to him.

When I reached where he was, I paused beside him. Suddenly I was incredibly nervous for some reason. Maybe it was the darkness or my own shyness or both but I debated if it would be too weird if I shared my warmth with him. Maybe I should just give him the pelt and try to sleep without it. It's his anyways, and I feel bad using it if it's making him shiver like this. All of the sudden the cold cavern air ventilated in and caused me to grab my shoulders in a shiver. Jeez, how is he even able to stand this? It's this cold and he still put my needs above his own…? Why is he even sleeping in these kinds of conditions? My heart suddenly hurt at the thought. This wasn't new to me. I saw death and suffering long before him. So why does his wellbeing strike me so deeply? The time he said the word "Friend…" in his small voice so long ago suddenly reappeared in my head. "Friends… huh…?" I looked down to where presumably his face was by the sound of his breathing. Then without thinking much, I reached out and placed my hand on his head beside his mask. I was about to drape the pelt over him, when all of the sudden, he woke up with a jolt.

Suddenly I was pushed back and held to the ground with the sound of a sword being unsheathed. I heard him gasp and without having to see, I could tell his sword was being held inches away from my throat. At that moment the shock of the attack hit me so hard I couldn't stop the tears that started to form. No please not again… please don't hurt me! Suddenly in my mind he wasn't Seiryuu anymore, it was my father pinning me down and threatening to kill me. "Please…don't hurt me… I'm sorry… please." I heard the breath of the body above me hitch and quickly release me as it fell backwards.

"H-Hina…"

I couldn't stop the tears and the rapid breathing that came with it, although my mind was starting to come back to reality.

"I…" he started "I-I'm sorry…"

I could hear the pain in the soft voice. That's when I finally realized who was actually there with me. My father would never speak so softly to me.

Suddenly the candle was lit and I squinted adjusting to the brightness. I saw him place the candle down and bite his lip.

"Seiryuu?..." I asked in disbelief.

"I… It was a reflex… I don't want to hurt you… I'm… sorry." He roughly covered where the eyes of his mask were in shame.

I gripped my chest with guilt. I quickly came back to him and placed my hands over his. I took his hands in mine gently, bringing them away from his face.

"I'm also sorry… I didn't get so scared because of you. You just surprised me so suddenly that I thought you were… someone else..."

My voice broke off. And though his gaze was hidden by a mask I could feel his eyes locked on me. There was a long pause between us.

"Hina?.."

"Yes?"

"I... wanted to ask this since I first saw you… but… I couldn't. Now though… I can't ignore it. How… how did you get so injured?"

I bit my lip considering it but I could feel the intensity of his stare burning into me despite being hidden by his mask. He almost seemed… angry? But this fire wasn't directed at me, but rather outward, towards someone else. Somehow I felt like he could already see right through me. There was no point in me keeping it from him. Plus I feel like, with all he's done just to attend to my injuries and give me a place to stay that I somehow feel like he deserves to know the truth.

"I um… well…" I swallowed and my throat hurt as I held back tears. "My father… he beat me… and… the reason I ended up here in the first place is because…" I looked down at my bandaged wound "He tried to kill me…"

I felt him tense and clench his fists underneath my palms. He didn't say anything but I could feel how unsettled he was by my admission. The fact that he was so upset on my behalf was actually kind of bewildering yet comforting to me. I had forgotten what it was like to have someone care ever since mother died. This warmth in my chest felt like a renewed fire I forgot I had. I placed my hand on his shoulder and tilted my head.

"Hey… I'm okay now though. You said that what you did was a reflex right?"

He nodded at me.

"Well for me my reaction was a reflex too. I didn't mean to startle you."

Then I placed both hands on the sides of his face under the mask and looked straight into where his eyes should be. "I don't want you to feel guilty alright? It was an accident. And as for… my injuries, well, I like to think that maybe it ended up being a good thing. If I hadn't have run away I don't think I ever would have met you again." I smiled.

Maybe it was my imagination but I could have sworn it looked like he blushed where the edges of his mask didn't cover. And though he was a bit tense, he didn't pull away either. It then occurred to me that maybe no one in this village had touched him in years. And soon I also realized that I desperately missed gentle touches. The ones my mother used to give me. Had it really been so long? Somehow I had the feeling we were both thinking the same thing. We had only just been reunited, why did this feel so natural? Then Ao jumped up on my shoulder and rubbed her face against mine while making a friendly squeak. I pulled my hands back feeling a little self-conscious then for some reason.

"We should really get back to sleep shouldn't we?"

He nodded at me.

"Um…" I fidgeted. "Is it alright if we share the pelt? It's just really cold and I don't want you to shiver by yourself either."

He paused for a moment as if considering what that implied but slowly nodded.

We lie down next to each other and as I get comfortable he leans over me and blows out the candle before draping his pelt over himself and me effortlessly. We settle into the warmth but the closeness of his body to mine still keeps my mind awake. Suddenly I feel Ao burrowing into the back of my hair before curling in for sleep. I chuckled, "Well goodnight Ao." She squeaked back at me in response. I paused considering if it was a good idea for a moment before finally saying "Goodnight Seiryuu." I could feel him pause as well. It was kind of funny at how unused to any kind of normalcy we both were. Finally he responded softly,

"Goodnight Hina."


End file.
